Metal-treating apparatus



J. F. GILLAN.

METAL TREATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.2, 1920.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Inventor: Joh

n F. Gillan,

7 His Attorney UNITED "STATES PATENT ounce.

JOHN P. GILLAN, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK. ASIGNOR '10 GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METAL-TREATING. APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Application filed October 2, 1920. Serial No. 414,195.

coating processes, and particularly the process known as sherardizing,which involves the surface allo'yage of a metal with zinc.

Sherardizing was first carried out in large gas heated ovens adapted toreceive rotatable drums containing the sherardizing mixture and thearticles to be treated. Later it was found that im roved results couldbe obtained as described in U. S. Patent No. 1,169,529 granted toCollins and Capp J anuary 25, 1916 by correlating the composltion of thecharge and the sherardizing temperature. It was found that by the use ofelectrically heated drums the desired temperature range could beattained with greater speed and maintained with greater accuracy. Thealloyage produced atproper temperatures-is markedly superior to thealloyage produced outside of this optimum temperature range.

In accordance'with in present invention, I have increased the e ciencyof the individuallyheated sherardizing drum and reduced the cost ofsherardizing byproviding the rotatable drum with one or more removablecontainers fitted to revolve as a part of the rotatable drum,

ducing the time re uired to raise the temperature of the 0 ar e to therequired optimum range and a so facilitating the loading and unloadingofthe charge.

The accompanying drawing illustrates in a disassembled view anembodiment of my invention. v

In ers ective are shown by Fi 1 the rotate 1e rum; by Fig. 2 a remova 10container; by Fig. 3 an electrically heated cover; and by Fig. 4 asuitable clamping device therefor. I i

The heated drum illustratedin Fig. 1 comprises-a receptacle 1 supportedon trunnions 2, '3 and provided with a suitable drive 4. The recerotating means as,'for example, the worm tacle 1 is double-walled asuitable electric eater 23. being provided Treating Apparatus, of whichthe following died by hookin e treate thereby still further 'reh zfirst,the fresh char e ;brought more rapidly between the outer wall 5 andinner Wall 6. Electric current is conveyed to this heater by theconductors 7, 8, 9, connected to the brushes and slip rings 10, 11 and12. Suitable contacts (not shown) convey the current to the resistorlocated within the cover 17 (Fig. .3). A container 13, (Fig. 2),. isproportioned to fit fixedly Within the receptacle or drum 1. Thecontainer 13 has a removable cover 14 provided with looking devices 15.The cover 14 of the rece tacle 13 may be handled by the ring-s apedholders 16 throu h which a hook of a liftmg devlce may e passed whilethe contamer and its charge may be readily haninto the folding lugs 16'which are attac ed to its ends, as shown in Fig. 2. Within the container13 may be laced a charge of iron or steel articles to d an asherardizing mixture conslstln say of about 85 parts powdered zinc and aout 15 parts zinc oxide. 7 a

When the .container 13 is placed'within the heated receptacle 1 thecover 17 may be fastened in place by the clamping bars 18, 19, the endsof which slots in the In 20, carried by the container 1 and projectingthrou h holes in cover 17. The bars 18, 19 are a apted to be held inplace by suitable bolts 21. Ring bolts 22 are provided for lifting thecover 17. The

In ractice,two or more inner containers may provided so that when onecharge as been subjected to the treating temperature for a sufiicientlength of time, the container 13 may be removed while the housing 1 isstill hot and another charged container may be immediatel substituted,the cover 17 replaced and t e sherardizing process continued. Twoadvantages are thus gained, in the container 13 is to the desiredsherardizmg temperature as the outer housin is already hot; secondly,the time is saved as the hot container when removed may be permitted tocool ofi' without interfering with the other steps of the process.result of my invention,

As a sherardizing is improved and rendered more uniform and the capacitof a given apparatus is more than doubled:

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the UnitedStates, is l. A metal treating apparatus comprising the combination of arotatable container, a

' closure for'the same, means for heating said container, a receptaclefitted Within said container but removable therefrom,

7 nested Within said rotatable container.

4. A sherardizing apparatus comprising the combination of a receptacle,means for rotating the same, heating means for said receptacle, a secondreceptacle having a shape substantially corresponding to the interiorconfiguration of said first receptacle, and closures for said respectivereceptacles. 5. A sherardizing apparatus comprising the combination of adouble Walled receptacle, an electric heater arranged between the wallsof said'receptaele, a removable cover for said rece tacle means forrotatingsaid receptacle a second receptacle adapted to be fixedly nestedWithin said first receptacle and holders attached to said secondreceptacle whereby the same may be removed from said first receptacle.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first day ofOctober 1920.

- JOHN F. eiLLAN.

